


Gin

by HowAboutThatSnapback



Series: Iroh's Armor [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen, and then stories about those ocs lives too, basically Iroh's first kill, basically Iroh's relationships with the guards in his life, gonna be part of an entire series of one-shots revolved around Iroh, mention of death by fire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 13:51:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19230415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HowAboutThatSnapback/pseuds/HowAboutThatSnapback
Summary: A series of scenes between Iroh and one of his best friends, Gin.Person of Interest: GinAge Upon Meeting Iroh: 18Age of Iroh Upon Meeting: 17





	Gin

“No.”

Iroh glares up at the older young man. “Why not?”

Gin rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “Prince Iroh, if you walk in there like  _that_  your father will have my head.”

“Father doesn’t care what I wear.” Iroh brushes invisible dirt off his leg.

“It’s not your clothes that I’m talking about,” Gin deadpans. He points to his chest. “It’s your attitude. What kind of Fire Lord will you be if you can’t even fake a smile for your country’s sake? You don’t have to like rubbing elbows with dirt bags for political stability. You just have to do it.”

“I  _know_ ,” Iroh mutters. “And I have been, but I’m tired. I’m tired of faking and having to grit my teeth while they lie to me and suck up.”

Gin places a hand on his shoulder and grins. “That’s what I’m for. To give it to you straight. Now straighten out your attitude and go to this meeting.”

“I hate to say you’re right.”

“I always am,” Gin smirks.

“ _Sometimes_ ,” Iroh insists.

* * *

_I want to do everything I can for my country. The best way is to get field experience. My tutors have all praised my abilities in strategy and fighting. Send me out, father!_

The grounds were quiet, as if it took a vow of silence for the last night before it’s prince went off to war. Despite nothing around him changing everything seemed different- even the stars shine differently.

Footsteps alert him to another presence, but he doesn’t turn to see them. He already knows who it is.

A few seconds later the man joins him in looking at the stars, taking a seat on the bench. He doesn’t break the silence- what use would it be to break it before it’s ready?

Eventually Iroh speaks in a hoarse voice wavering with emotion. “Do you think I made the right choice?”

Gin is silent for several seconds before he gives his answer. “I don’t know. You’re the first crowned prince to throw yourself into the war and the only Fire Lord that went out their self is Fire Lord Sozin. I find it admirable.”

“But will I even be of any help?”

Iroh doesn’t startle at the hand on his shoulder, but he does look over at the other man’s intense gaze. This is someone he can trust- who has never lied to him and was always straight forward even in the beginning of his assignment when he was wary of upsetting the crowned prince.  Iroh doesn’t know when this soldier’s opinion came to hold so much weight in his mind, but he knows now that Gin’s words matter to him.

“I’ve been by your side for five years… you are a brilliant strategist and accomplished firebender. You care about your men and won’t take any unnecessary chances… out of all the commanders I’ve had to be under in my time as a soldier I have no doubt that you will be the best military leader the Fire Nation will ever see.”

Iroh smiles. “I sure hope you’re right.”

“When will you learn?” Gin asks, pulling him into a one-armed hug. “I’m always right.”

* * *

The stench of burning flesh chokes Iroh as he kneels in the battlefield, staring down at the fallen Earth Kingdom soldier. One slayed by his hand. He couldn’t have been more than fifteen. He was a handsome young man with bright emerald eyes…  _was_. His entire left side was charred beyond recognition and the right contorted into pain and horror. He’d stopped screaming after Iroh took a broken spear and thrust it into his chest.

“Prince Iroh, stand up,” Gin hisses, gripping said man’s arm. When there is no movement he jerks the arm to try and get the man to stand. “Iroh! Stand up!” At last, fed up with waiting for the man to snap out of it, he grabs the back of Iroh’s armor and yanks him to his feet. “Iroh!”

Iroh’s eyes focus on Gin but the shock hasn’t left his system.

Gin’s hand shifts to grip the front of his armor. “This is a war zone, you can’t just sit here while there’s still fighting! Get your ass in gear!”

“But-”

Gin raises his sword and presses it against his neck. “Move.”

Iroh turns and begins stumbling through the field, flinching at rocks landing nearby and fire blazing. A few times Gin had to shove him forward or pull him back to avoid attacks, but regardless he kept Iroh safe until they managed to get back to camp.

Gin shoves Iroh into his tent and said prince ends up sprawled on the floor. “You idiot!”

Iroh looks up at his guard and sees the first bout of anger directed at  _him_  since they were boys.

“You’re the  _crowned prince!_  You can’t afford to sit around on a  _battlefield!”_ Gin pulls his torso up by the front of his armor. “What were you thinking?!”

“I…”

“You weren’t,” Gin hisses. “You nearly killed a dozen of our men because you wouldn’t move. They had to defend you because you couldn’t bother to take care of yourself.”

“I killed him.” Iroh chokes out.

Gin drops him and throws his hands up. “Yes! I don’t know why everyone has the idea that this job is all about glory and being the better person! We kill people! We kill the people trying to kill us, trying to oppose the Fire Lord’s goals. We’re just pawns in our Fire Lord’s bidding. Even you until you have more pull- until you’re Fire Lord. No one likes doing it but it has to be done. When you have people to protect back at home it means everything that you take care of the enemy and  _live_  another day. Do you understand that?”

Iroh cradles his head. “I… I think so… but why? What is the point of this war?”

“Protecting our people… that’s all. We’re doing it because if we lose the other nations will obliterate us just like Fire Lord Sozin did the Air Nation.”

“But does that excuse what I did to that… that  _kid?”_

“… you showed mercy in ending his life instead of leaving him to burn alive… that was the best thing you could do for him,” Gin says gently. He sits down and forces Iroh to look at him. “So long as you don’t enjoy taking life… you’re still human. Despite you being stupid back there I’m so proud knowing that you’re going to be the next Fire Lord… because if you react like that and you keep feeling that disgust then you’ll always be human.”

“… thank you, Gin.”

A grin. “Anytime… now, let’s get you presentable and get reports from the officers to see how we’re doing.”

Iroh nods and follows his sergeant’s lead.

* * *

Iroh looks after the woman as she returns to her friends and feels a familiar presence come up beside him.

“Don’t-”

“You’re ridiculous,” Gin laughs, turning the prince around and walking towards the buffet. “I mean, ‘ _You’re beautiful… dancing? With me?’_  has got to be the  _best_  thing I’ve heard all day. All year!”

Iroh shoves the man away from himself. “You’re horrible.”

“I’m honest,” Gin reminds. “And honestly… you have  _got_  to work on your pickup lines.”

Iroh wrinkles his nose. “I’m the prince. I shouldn’t have to.”

“And that’s why you  _need_  pickup lines that are  _good_. No one expects you to be good at them. They think you’ll point at a woman and just tell them what to do. No, you’ve gotta be smooth with it.”

“And what would you know about smooth?”

“I know better than you Mr. Dancing? With me?”

“I could demote you.”

“But I’m good at my job so you won’t.”

Iroh makes a face. “You’re right.”

Gin throws his arms into the air triumphantly. “I always am!”

“ _Sometimes_.”

* * *

“ _I swear by the earth, the breeze, the sun and moon I will take that son of a-_ ”

“Gin?”

He’s met by silence. Iroh walks further into the corridor and smells smoke. He catches sight of Gin standing with his chest heaving silently and staring down at charred remains of what Iroh assumes to have been paper.

“What happened?” He turns his friend around and stares in confusion.

Gin glares at the burned paper. “Nothing…”

Iroh grips his shoulder as he turns to walk away and turns Gin to face him. “It’s not nothing… what happened?”

Gin glances down the hall and then back at Iroh and then settles his gaze on the ground. “Please… just…”

Iroh takes his arm and drags leads him to a spare room used for guests. When he’s sure no one will eavesdrop he closes the door and turns to Gin. The man is standing there with a vacant expression.

“What happened?” Iroh asks gently.

Gin gulps thickly. “Some… someone attacked my sister…”

“Haruhi?” Iroh asks.

Gin shakes his head.

Horror grips Iroh’s heart. “Not little Kimiko?”

Gin nods and looks ready to cry. “She… she’s only eight…  _eight_ , Iroh… I… how could someone do something like that? I should’ve been there.”

Iroh can’t can’t the pitiful sight and grips his shoulders. “There’s no way you could’ve been there… even if you were home on leave there’s no telling if it would’ve made a difference… now tell me what are they saying? Will she make it?”

Gin shrugs. “They didn’t say anything in the letter.”

Iroh can tell that he’s worried about his little sister- she was probably his favorite out of the two. Without even thinking he says, “Go home.”

Gin looks at him incredulously. “What?”

“Go. Home.”

“But who’s gonna watch you?”

“Firstly, I haven’t needed to be watched in years,” Iroh retorts as he holds up a finger. “Secondly, there are others that can do your job as well. They are trained for this just like you were. If you so much as think of coming back because you’re worried about me before your sister gets better I  _will_  demote you and send you to supervise the new recruits for a  _year_.”

Gin stares at him for a minute, trying to gauge the man’s reaction, but Iroh isn’t kidding. He would do it.

“Fine…”

“Good. Now go to the stables and ask for my mongoose-lizard. You’ll get there by morning.”

“But-”

Iroh cuts him off with a pointed look.

Gin bows and when he speaks his voice shakes with emotion. “Thank you.”

“Go,” Iroh insists, turning him and forcing him out the door. “Be with your family.”

Gin takes off running and Iroh watches him go with a small smile. It’s the least he can do for everything the man’s done for him.

* * *

Gin lets his head fall into his hands. “They’re all idiots.”

Iroh laughs and settles next to him. “All new recruits are.”

“They have to be smarter if they’re gonna be part of your personal guard,” Gin snaps.

Iroh signs. “I know it’s hard now that Daiki is gone- you haven’t been completely in charge of my guard before- but you’ll do fine. I know you will.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“When am I ever wrong?”

“Funny coming from Mr. Are you from Ember Island? I think you’re wrong more often than you think.”

A glare. “You swore never to mention it again.”

“And I also told Haruhi when she was eight that if she didn’t touch the top of the door each time she leaves the spirits will take her away. I’m not exactly the best person.”

Iroh shakes his head. “I couldn’t agree more.”

Gin takes a breath. “I’ll choose only the best. After all, you’re the hope of the Fire Nation-”

Iroh grimaces. “Please don’t…”

“But also… you’re my best friend… If you told me when I first joined the army I’d call the crowned prince my best friend I’d have called you crazy but after all these years I don’t think any one else qualifies.”

Iroh grins. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

“Wait… you’re friends with the crowned prince, too?” Gin laughs as he’s shoved.

Out of all of his friends, Iroh can genuinely say Gin is his closest.

**Author's Note:**

> Gin started guarding Prince Iroh two years after his enlistment into the Fire Nation Army at the age of 18. Despite the pressure to keep Prince Iroh happy, Gin has always been honest with him. After a mutual bond formed between them Gin would begin to tease and call out Prince Iroh and even call him by just his name in private. After a few years Gin becomes the head of Prince Iroh’s personal guard and all guards chosen for Iroh are handpicked by him after grueling tests of physical prowess and character. Despite his humorous nature he takes his job protecting his prince and best friend very seriously and is a tough leader.


End file.
